Nutritionists and adherents of healthy eating unanimously repeat about the usefulness of such a product as asparagus, but for many it is still an exotic vegetable. Try making a hearty salad or a delicate cream soup with different types of asparagus and you will also be convinced of its amazing taste.
Green asparagus salad
Ingredients:
- 200 g of green asparagus;
- 10 cherry tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes;
- 10 quail eggs or 2-3 chicken eggs;
- 80 g of green salad;
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice;
- 3 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil;
- a pinch of ground black pepper;
- 1/3 tsp salt.
Immediately after boiling, place the asparagus in ice-cold water for a few seconds to firm up and add freshness to the salad.
Cut off the hard bases from the asparagus stalks. Place a pot of salted water over high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil and dip the green pods into it. Cook them until tender, 5-7 minutes. Cut the cooled asparagus into 4-5 cm long cubes. Place a second saucepan or stewpan on an adjacent burner, fill with water and cook hard-boiled quail eggs in no more than 5 minutes, chicken eggs in no more than 9. Then immerse them in cold water to cool faster and better clear of the shell.
Combine fresh lemon juice and vegetable oil in a small cup, pepper and salt. Tear the lettuce leaves with your hands and place them in a deep bowl or salad bowl. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves lengthways, or large slices for regular tomatoes. Add red vegetables and asparagus to the herbs, season with lemon sauce and stir gently using two large wooden or plastic spoons. Chop eggs: quail - in half, chicken - into cubes. Place them on top of the veggie salad.
White asparagus soup with smoked salmon
Ingredients:
- 300 g of white asparagus;
- 100 g smoked salmon;
- 1.5 liters of chicken broth;
- 250 ml of 20% cream;
- 1 egg yolk;
- 50 g butter;
- 2 tbsp. flour;
- 3 drops of Worcester sauce;
- 2 feathers of green onions;
- salt.
Worcester sauce is an invention of British chefs that can be used universally. It contains many herbs and spices associated with a tomato base, and gives the dish a special piquancy with its bright sweet and sour taste.
Peel the asparagus and trim off the heads 3 cm, but do not discard them. Boil the stems for 8 minutes and transfer to a colander. Melt the butter in a saucepan and toss the flour into it. Fry it for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula, then slowly pour in the broth in a thin stream. Let the mass simmer for a couple of minutes, reduce the heat to low, and then put the pods of the white vegetable in it. Cook for another 2 minutes, let cool and blend in a blender. Season the puree with salt to taste and Worcestershire sauce.
Beat the chicken yolk with cream with a whisk or mixer, combine with a couple of tablespoons of the mashed mixture, stir well and add to the soup. Pour the hot dish into bowls. Cut the smoked salmon into thin strips, chop the green onions and asparagus heads and divide into portions.
